Job Details
Rethink Mental Illness are an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. Imagine being part of an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity – and that’s why equity is one of our core values.
We are currently recruiting for a Garden Maintenance Lead to clead a team of volunteers and Friends of the garden based at John Hall Wellness Garden in Leek, Staffordshire.
The successful candidate will work alongside our Contracts Manager and Lead Gardener to establish a garden maintenance team that will give individuals with mental health conditions volunteer & training opportunities. They will ensure the gardens are welcoming and a tranquil and interesting space to find wellbeing.
The Garden Maintenance Lead will maintain the gardens and equipment within the grounds for which responsibilities include monitoring the health of all plants, watering and feeding plants, trimming trees and shrubs, fertilizing and mowing lawns, weeding gardens and keeping green spaces and walkways clear of debris and litter.
They will also support volunteers to learn gardening skills and undertake this work. This will include areas like the newly improved vegetable patch, pond, beehives, wildlife area and lawn.
We would also be looking for the successful candidate to grow a team of volunteers and trainees that will carry out small contract work outside the garden, which will generate funds for further development, and which will create wider environmental impact for communities in and around Leek.
The successful candidate will have:
- Proven practical gardening/horticulture experience.
- A good level of garden maintenance knowledge
- Knowledge of health & safety and compliance relevant to horticulture & gardening.
- Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
- Persistence and determination to complete the tasks at hand to drive projects forward
- Ability to prioritise between different tasks contributing the projects aims
- Project management experience or experience of developing and growing services
- Good people skills
The role will be 35 hours per week.
Who are we?
We’re Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support thousands of people through our groups, services, policy, campaigns and advice and information. Our work supports us in delivering on our mission: “A better life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.”
It is an exciting time to join our growing charity. We are on a transformation journey, one that supports the delivery of the organisation strategy – delivering Communities that Care. Supporting employees, managers and leaders through this change is a key priority for the People function. Just like its key that we attract diverse people to come and work for us.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer. We recognise and support staff networks for our Black, Asian and minority ethnic and our LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter.
Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation
We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrate our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.
We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or questioning), Intersex and (asexual) (LGBTQIA+), people with a disability, and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.
If you have any questions about the position, please contact -
